1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an arrangement for and a method of applying heat-transferrable decalcomania to a circumferential surface of a container and, more particularly, to applying such decalcomania to a generally cylindrical cup-shaped portion of a mug.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well known to apply a heat-transferrable decalcomania, commonly known as a decal, to clothing such as T-shirts. The T-shirt is typically laid on a flat support surface, and a desired decal is laid on the so-supported shirt. The decal has a peel-off protective sheet facing away from the shirt. Thereupon, a pressing device engages the protective sheet and, under the simultaneous application of pressure and temperature, transfers the decal to the shirt. The affixation of the decal to the shirt is completed by removing the protective sheet.
Existing T-shirt pressing devices cannot be used when it is desired to apply such decals to curved surfaces and, more particularly, to the generally cylindrical cup-shaped portion of a handled mug, due to the curvature of the mug. To properly affix the decal, uniform pressure and temperature must be applied over the entire expanse of the decal and, in turn, over that cylindrical portion of the mug that is overlaid with the decal. To that end, it has been proposed to press a rigid, bulky, heated, curved, metal casting toward one side of the cup-shaped portion of the mug, or to hinge together two such metal castings and to press the latter toward both opposite sides of the cup-shaped portion of the mug.
Although the use of curved castings is generally satisfactory for its intended purpose of applying a decal on a curved surface, such curved castings have not proven altogether desirable in use. First of all, it is often desirable to apply to the cup large decals, i.e. those which extend around the cup-shaped portion over an arc length greater than 180.degree.. The known castings can only effectively apply small decals to one or a plurality of areas on the cup-shaped portion of the mug.
Secondly, the rigid castings do not permit mugs of different sizes to be accommodated in a single apparatus. An 8-oz. mug requires a different casting than a 12-oz. mug due to their different radii of curvature. As a result, the known rigid castings can only readily handle a single mug size. Different castings of different sizes would be required to handle different sized mugs.
Thirdly, the known metal castings have a relatively large mass, and consume a great deal of electrical energy in the process of heating up such a mass to the desired temperature. At the same time, the known castings cool very slowly and, hence, a potential safety problem exists for the operator.